24 Oct2024
By Amelia Q. Rivera
AACTE recognizes Samira Bashiru of Purdue University as the October 2024 Holmes Scholar of the Month. Bashiru is a dedicated Ph.D. candidate in special education who embodies the spirit of academic excellence and community engagement that defines the AACTE Holmes Scholars Program. Her journey from Ghana to the United States exemplifies her commitment to advancing inclusive education and supporting diverse learners.
Research Focus
Bashiru’s research centers on evidence-based strategies and practices that support families and enhance the creativity and development of children with or without disabilities. Her particular interest lies in creativity in culturally and linguistically diverse learners with real or perceived disabilities, a focus that addresses a critical need in today’s diverse educational landscape. She has published a systematic review listed at the end of the article entitled “Best Practices for English Learners with Disabilities in US Schools – A Systematic Review.” Currently, Bashiru is working on two research papers:
- Evidence-based practices for English Learners with disabilities
- Creativity in preschoolers with and without speech disorders
20 Sep2024
By Amelia Q. Rivera
AACTE recognizes Esmeralda Cartagena Collazo as the September 2024 Holmes Scholar of the Month. Cartagena Collazo’s outstanding contributions to academia, research, and education, exemplify the spirit of scholarly excellence and dedication to advancing education for marginalized communities.
Cartagena Collazo is pursuing a Ph.D. in Literacy, Language & Culture, at Texas Woman’s University, with an expected graduation of December 2025. Her academic foundation includes a post-baccalaureate certificate in biliteracy from Texas Woman’s University and both a master’s in education (specializing in curriculum and teaching English as a second language) and a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education in ESL from the InterAmerican University of Puerto Rico.
16 Aug2024
By Amelia Q. Rivera
AACTE recognizes Sean Hembrick, M.Ed., as the August 2024 Holmes Scholar of the Month. A fourth-year doctoral student in higher education at The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), Hembrick exemplifies the dedication, scholarship, and leadership that the Holmes Scholars program seeks to foster.
From Harlem to Higher Ed: Sean Hembrick’s Journey to Empower Black Scholars
Hailing from East Harlem, New York City, Sean’s academic journey is a testament to his commitment to education and social justice. Hembrick holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and sociology from Binghamton University, a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing from Queens College (CUNY), and a Master of Education in student affairs in higher education from Texas State University. Hembrick brings a rich interdisciplinary perspective to his doctoral studies.
27 Jun2024
Promoting Equity and Excellence: Jackson’s Journey in Science Education
By Amelia Q. Rivera
The AACTE Holmes Scholars Program is proud to feature Jennifer Jackson, Ph.D., as the June 2024 Holmes Scholar of the Month. Jackson recently defended her dissertation last month and will be graduating in August in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis on science education at Pennsylvania State University, where she has distinguished herself through her research, teaching, service, and leadership.
Jackson’s research focuses on how secondary science teachers communicate within professional learning spaces while attending to equitable, culturally responsive pedagogy. Her work explores how providing professional learning opportunities for teachers to engage in identity work can inform their teaching practices and ability to create inclusive science classrooms. Jackson has presented her research at prestigious conferences like the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) and has traveled abroad to present her work in Germany at the 2023 European Science Education Research Association (ESERA) summer school as a summer institute fellow. Additionally, she has several publications in research journals such as the Journal of Science Teacher Education.
24 May2024
By Amelia Q. Rivera
By Amelia Q. Rivera, Holmes Council Vice President, North Carolina State University
ParKer Bryant, a third-year Ph.D. student in literacy education at Syracuse University, is the Holmes Scholar of the Month for May. Bryant’s research explores the intersections of imagination, creativity, language, and literacy – with a particular focus on developing critical literacy curricula and instruction for Black youth.
Bryant’s path to becoming a literacy researcher and educator was shaped by their upbringing in a household that prioritized education, creativity, and storytelling. “Books, music, movies, and imaginative play flowed in quantity in my mother’s home,” they reflect. “This led to my relationship with understanding knowledge, activating my imagination, and co-creating narratives that were transferable to real-world understandings.”
29 Apr2024
By Amelia Q. Rivera
Congratulations to Indra Lyn Owens, the distinguished Holmes Scholar of the Month for April 2024. Owens is an inspiring educator, counselor, and community leader who embodies the spirit of the Holmes Program. As a second-year doctoral student in the Counselor Education and Supervision program at Rowan University, Owens is dedicated to empowering marginalized communities through mental health advocacy and building resilient families.
Owens’ passion for service began early as a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, embracing the mantra “Service to All Mankind.” Her commitment to being an agent of positive change in her community is woven through every aspect of her work and life.
28 Mar2024
By Amelia Q. Rivera
For March’s AACTE Holmes Scholar of the Month, we are thrilled to highlight Jaminque L. Adams, a doctoral candidate in the Educational Theory and Practice program at the University of Georgia (UGA). Adams’ research focuses on Black studies in education, centering the voices, labor, and experiences of Black women educators and their students. Her passion stems from her own journey as a student in Detroit Public Schools and a former teacher at a public charter school in Houston, TX.
Adams’ commitment to uplifting Black women educators shines through her impressive scholarly work and involvement. In the summer of 2023, she was a summer research fellow and later selected as a graduate research assistant for the Black Teacher Archive Project at Harvard University. She is currently guest editing a special issue of Educational Studies Journal titled “When We See Us: The Interior Lives of Black Women Educators and Their Students Within Carceral Spaces.”
25 Mar2024
By Amelia Q. Rivera
As the vice president of Holmes Scholars and an emerging scholar forging my own path, I am utterly resolute in amplifying the voices of fearless women leaders who are radically transforming educator preparation. For too long, the narratives shaping how we mold future teachers have been exclusive and upheld oppressive systems. But, trailblazing women are boldly dismantling these barriers through revolutionary leadership — and their impact demands thunderous celebration.
My role in Holmes Scholars has granted me witness to the seismic power of centering equity and justice. By elevating scholars from systematically marginalized backgrounds, we unapologetically disrupt the status quo. Our work challenges educator preparation programs to embrace culturally sustaining, anti-racist pedagogies as the unbending foundation. This is the path we must persist on with relentless courage.
18 Mar2024
An #AACTE24 Session Recap and Reflection
By Amelia Q. Rivera
The session “Election 2024: Implications of Federal and State Races for Educator Preparation” at the AACTE 2024 Annual Meeting provided a comprehensive analysis of the potential impacts of the upcoming elections on educator preparation programs (EPPs). The panel comprised political strategists, policy experts, and representatives from membership organizations, offering diverse perspectives on the subject.
08 Feb2024
By Amelia Q. Rivera
Congratulations to Linzy Andre, the distinguished Holmes Scholar of the Month for February 2024. Andre (she/her/hers) is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in counseling & counselor education at Syracuse University. Originally hailing from Brooklyn, NY, she completed her undergraduate studies in psychology at Hunter College, followed by her master’s in mental health counseling.
Andre’s research focuses on the lived experiences of students of color within counseling. She specializes in various areas, including but not limited to issues of client, student, and educator diversity in counseling. Her captivating dissertation, “Becoming a Counselor: Narratives from Black Women Counselors about Healing Wounds,” provides a unique perspective as it is written from the standpoint of a fellow Black woman counselor who has dedicated a decade to this field.
08 Feb2024
By Amelia Q. Rivera
Congratulations to Paris C. Pruitt, the distinguished Holmes Scholar of the Month for January 2024. Pruitt (she/her/they) is a Black feminist counselor educator and advocate for Black girls. A National Certified Counselor and licensed professional school counselor in both Maryland and Connecticut, Pruitt centers her research around supporting the academic, social/emotional, and career needs of Black girls to educate school counselors and community partners.
Pruitt has worked as a professional school counselor in Maryland and Connecticut. In 2016, she founded the non-profit “Imprint Initiative, Inc”, which provides scholarships, mentoring programs, and workshops, to help students discover their passions and define success for themselves. Upholding her principles of service as a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Pruitt was named “Activist of the Year” by the University of Connecticut’s chapter of the NAACP in 2019 and awarded the Community Service Award from the Phi Delta Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta.
21 Dec2023
By Amelia Q. Rivera
Terrance J. Lewis
Congratulations to Terrance J. Lewis, the distinguished Holmes Scholar of the Month for November 2023. McNeil, a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., is a doctoral candidate in secondary education social science at Auburn University, where he currently serves as a presidential research fellow and graduate assistant. McNeil’s research agenda spans the exploration of pedagogical beliefs and practices of Black men social studies teachers, the factors associated with teaching Black history in K-12 classrooms, and the use of documentary film as an instructional tool in social studies.
Before enrolling at Auburn, Lewis taught U.S. government, world geography, and Georgia studies at the high school and middle school levels for four years in Columbus, GA. During his time as a classroom teacher, he served in various roles including student council sponsor, robotics coach, and wrestling coach. He was also the founder of a mentoring program, Building Better Men Lunchroom Mentoring, which provided mentorship and support to male students in sixth through eighth grades.
McNeil’s research has been featured at national conferences including the Men of Color Summit hosted by Clemson University and the Teaching Black History Conference hosted by the University of Missouri-Columbia. He has also conducted research on topics related to diversifying social studies curriculum and the impacts of Black history education.
McNeil is a graduate of the University of Alabama where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in secondary education and a master’s degree in secondary education from Columbus State University. His professional goal is to obtain a tenure-track faculty position at a university where he can continue his research while educating and mentoring future social studies teachers. Lewis firmly believes a life spent serving others is a life well lived.
31 Aug2023
By Amelia Q. Rivera
Congratulations to Charles A. Barnes, II Holmes Scholar of the Month for July 2023!
Barnes holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Rowan University-Glassboro (RU) and a Juris Doctorate from Rutgers University School of Law-Camden. He returned to Rowan to pursue a Ph.D. in Urban and Diverse Learning Environments. His area of research focuses on the intersectionality of social identities and related systems of oppression, discrimination, or domination as it relates to LGBTQIA+ communities.
25 Apr2023
By Amelia Q. Rivera
Congratulations to Adriana C. Labarta, Holmes Scholar of the Month for April 2023. In 2021, Labarta was awarded the grand prize for the Tomorrow’s Counselor Essay Contest and was recognized as Outstanding Graduate Student of the Year in the Department of Counselor Education. Florida Atlantic University. Additionally, she has been recognized from 2020-2022 as a Southern Association of Counselor Education and Supervision (SACES) Emerging Leader.
Labarta completed her M.Ed and Ed.S. in Counselor Education with a specialization in Mental Health Counseling from University of Florida. She received her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Florida.
